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| Students of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, offering candle-lit lanterns in tribute to body donors for science |
Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Doan Duy Binh, Head of the Information Technology Program at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Science and Education, Danang University, took the time to share his decision to donate his body to science.
At the beginning of the conversation, Dr. Bình said that his decision was not driven by a passing emotion, but rather “a natural outcome of the way I think about education and science”. In his view, scientific thinking recognizes that every system is built upon foundations laid before it, while liberal education shapes individuals through a deep sense of responsibility to the community. Realizing that his body, after death, could still contribute to education and research, he saw the decision as a logical continuation of the path he has long pursued.
Dr. Binh said he has long reflected on the meaning of endings. He noted that a liberal education encourages people to confront opening questions: What do we live for? And when we are gone, what remains? From that reflection, he came to believe that the true value lies not in prolonging existence, but in making that existence meaningful.
When his family learned of the decision, their response was driven more by emotion than by reasoning. Through candid and calm conversations, they gradually came to understand that love does not lie in holding on to the body, but in respecting one another’s responsible choices in life. That shared understanding became a lesson within the family itself. His daughter has also registered as an organ donor, so his decision to donate his body to science received their full support.
According to Dr. Binh, medicine is not merely a technical practice of treatment, but a science about human beings. In his comparison, body donors are “silent teachers”, who lay the foundation for both knowledge and medical ethics. On a broader level, it is also a reminder that scientific progress must go hand in hand with humanity. If knowledge is separated from compassion, it becomes merely a tool. But when it is built upon voluntary sacrifice, it becomes a responsibility.
He said that the most difficult part of the registration process was not the paperwork, but overcoming the instinct to avoid thinking about death. Education, in its deepest sense, he said, is the process through which people mature by learning to confront themselves.
He shared: “I feel at peace knowing that this choice does not contradict the way I have lived. If I have spent my life teaching students about systems thinking, responsibility, and consistency in thought, then I must live by those same principles. Peace comes from the harmony between what we believe and what we do. I hope society will view body donation with a more mature perspective, neither romanticizing it nor shying away from it, but recognizing it as a personal choice grounded in awareness. A liberal society respects freedom of choice, as long as that choice serves the common benefit”.
Sharing a message with the younger generation, particularly medical and pharmacy students, Dr. Bình said: “Knowledge is not only meant to elevate one’s personal standing, but to expand one’s responsibility toward others. When you are young, study deeply. When you grow older, live with a strong sense of responsibility”.
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| Dr. Binh (third, from left), receiving a certificate for presenting his paper at the LSCAC 2024 International Conference - Language, Society and Culture in the Asian Context, held in Hue |
Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh Thu, MSc., Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union and President of the Student Association at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said that the “Macchabée – Gratitude to Body Donors for Science” ceremony has become a sacred occasion for generations of students. She noted that such silent dedication is profoundly noble, as donors offer their own bodies to help future doctors study and conduct research, contributing to the advancement of medicine and ultimately serving the community. This act not only carries scientific value but also delivers a profound lesson in medical ethics, compassion, and human sacrifice. They embody the message: “To live is to give, and in death, to give as well” - immortal flowers, simple yet great, quietly spreading their fragrance for life.
In the journey of learning and practicing medicine, anatomy remains one of the most fundamental disciplines for every medical student. It is a core subject that enables physicians to understand the structure and functions of the human body, serving as the foundation for all clinical specialties. The physician Jean Fernel once remarked: “Anatomy is to physiology what geography is to history”. The presence of donated bodies for education and research has played an irreplaceable role in the development of medicine throughout thousands of years of history.
The Macchabée Festival “was born” in the 16th century - a time when religion and prevailing social beliefs posed significant barriers to scientific advancement. At that time, French physician Judas Macchabée, together with his colleagues and students, quietly conducted secret dissections to support the study of the human body and medical training. To honor the bodies that had become “silent teachers”, he initiated a commemorative ritual held on the last Friday of December each year.
Over time, as prejudices gradually faded, Macchabée came to symbolize the tradition of honoring those who donate their bodies to medical science - the quiet contributions that remain immortal.